Reversible eyeglasses.



No. 862,124. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

' W. '1. ALLAN.

REVERSIBLE EYEGLASSES.

. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 28. 1907.

'2 sHEnTs-sn'nm' 1.

I ,1 7701mm Y5 PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

W. I. ALLAN. REVERSIBLE EYEGLASSES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

zzzmwmzzm,

WILLIAM TEMPLE ALLAN, OF JACKSONVILLE, ALABAMA. i

REvnRsmLEfEYEeLAssEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed January 28, 1907- Serisl No. 354,477.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I WlILLIAM TEMPLE ALLAN, a citi zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Calhoun and State ofAlabama, have invented new and useful Reversible Eyeglasses, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to bi-focal eyeglasses or spectacles of that typein which the lenses are so mounted with respect to the bridge piece andtemples. or ear bows that they can be turned for the purpose of bringingthe desired sections of the lenses in the most convenient position forreading or distant seeing.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of devices of this character so as to becomparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and conveniently andreadily adjusted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of i a novel form ofpivotal connection between the bridge piece and rims or other supportfor the lenses of spectacles or eyeglasses.

Another object is to pivotally connect the ear bows to the rims of thelenses, so that the bows can be turned to bring them in proper relationto the bridge-piece when the latter has been adjusted to shift thelenses to the desired position before the eyes of the user.

.A still further object is the provision of means for positively lockingthe bridge-piece to the lenses, or rims for the lenses, so that thelenses are prevented from swinging back and forth with respect to thebridgepiece.

With these objects in view, and othersfas will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same comprises the various novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be morefully described hereinafter and set forth with particua ity in theclaims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates certain of theembodiments of the invention, Figure l is, a perspective view of a pairof bi-focal spectacles showing the temple or ear bows partly brokenaway. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the spectacles. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of a modified form of spectacles. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe hinge connection between one end of the bridge-piece and adjacentrim of the spectacles the parts being shown in disassembled relation.Fig. 5 is a detail view-of the hinged and pivoted end of one of the bowsriveted to its respective lens supporting rim. Fig. '6 is a modifiedform of pivotal connection between the ear bows and the rims of thespectacles. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view of a pair of eyeglasseshaving the lenses pivotally attached to the bridge-piece. Fig. 8 is afragmentary detailview of a modified form of means for holding thelenses in fixed position with respect to the bridgepiece. Fig. 9 is afragmentary perspective view of means for pivotally connecting thebridge-piece to lenses of the rimless type. Fig. 10 is a perspectiveview of the hinge and pivot joint between each ear bow and rim. Fig. 11isa perspective view of one of the locking springs shown in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive, 1 designates the rims of the spectacles, 2 the bridgepiece,and 3 the temples or car bows. The rims 1 support the bi-focal lenses 4in the usual manner, and each rim is split and bent laterally into lugs5 at the points adjacent the bridgepiece 2. These lugs are providedwithsemi-spherical sockets 6 on their opposed faces for receiving thespherical enlargements 7 on the ends of the bridgepiece, as will beunderstood by reference to Fig. 4. The bridge-piece 2 is bent outwardlyat its ends to form the ball carrying arms 8, and these arms arereccived in recesses 9 on the opposed faces of the lugs 5. These lugsmay be clamped together in any suitable manner, as, for instance, byscrews 10, Fig. 1, that screw into the apertures 11 of the lugs, Fig. 4.By means of these screws, the lugs can be clamped to the sphericalenlargements '7 of .the bridge-piece, the fricear or projection 12having an aperture 13 extending at freely turn, and, if desired, thepivot may be threaded into the aperture of the projection 12 andslightly upset so as to prevent the pivot from coming out. Each earbow 3is connected to its respective pivot 14 by a hinge somewhat like thekind ordinarily used in spectacles for permitting the ear bows to befolded inward against the frame so that the spectacles can be placed ina pocket-case. -The heads of the rivets 14 are bifurcated, to providestuds or lugs 14 between which the apertured ends 15 of the ear bows areheld by the pintle screws 16. Instead of making the head integral withthe pivot 14, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 10, it may be made separateand the parts screwed together, as shown in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the bridge-piece 2and bows 3 can be adjusted so that a revolution. The ear bows 3 are theneach turned half a turn so as to be in a position opposite from thatshown in Fig. 2. The spectacles can then be adjusted to the head and thesections a of the lenses will be uppermost and the sections b lowermostto suit the requirement oi the user. To adjust the parts in this manner,it is necessary for the user to take the spectacles off the head and,after the bridge-piece and ear bows are turned, the spectacles arereplaced.

In order to positively lock the bridge-piece 2 in fixed relation to thelenses, .the bridge-piece is provided with oppositely extending grips 38made of spring metal and each having a notched extremity forengaging'the rim of the adjacent lens, as shown in Fig. 3. I The springgrips are riveted, or otherwise suitably secured, to the bridge-piece.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the bridge-piece 17 is pivoted tothe rims 18 by rivets or screws 19 that extend through the apertures inthe bridge-piece. The rims are provided with lugs 20 having tappedopenings 21 for receiving the screws :19. In order to prevent thebridge-piece 17 from freely turning, locking devices are employed. Eachlocking device comprises a spring 22 secured to the projection 20 ofeach rim 18 and provided with lugs 23 that engage the.

bridge-piece 17. By bending the springs 22 backwardly, the projections23 are disengaged from the bridge-piece 17, and the latter can be turnedabout the 'screws 19 as centers. The bridge-piece has its extremities 24extending beyond the screws 19 so that the springs 22will interlocktherewith. This construction may be used for spectacles by employing earbows, as shown in 1 and 2, or it maybe used for nose glasses byproviding the extensions 24 of the bridge-piece with nose grips 25.

Fig. 8 shows another modification of means for hold-- ing thebridge-piece 26 in fixed relation to the lenses. The bridge-piece ispivoted to the rim 270i the lens 28 in the same manner described inconnection with Fig. 7. Instead of employing separate springs 22, thebridge-piece has {a resilient extension 29 that grips the rim 27 'ineither of the .two positions of adjustment oi the bridge-piece.By-springing the extensions 29 outwardly away from the rims oi thelenses, the bridgepiece can be turned a half revolution whereupon thespring extensions will grip the rims of the lenses and hold the parts inadjusted position.

are confined toconstructions in which rims are employed for the lenses..It is obvious, however, that rimless spectacles and nose glasses can beconstructed according to the principles of the present invention. Oneform of rimless eyeglasses is shown in Fig. 9. The lens 30 is bored inthe usual manner, and the stud or member 31 secured to the lens by thescrew 32 according to the usual practice. The nose-piece 23 is pivotedby means of a screw 34 ,to the member 31.

By this means, the bridge-piece can be adjusted so as pointdiametrically opposite from the member or stud 31 with a second stud 36for receiving the ear bow, which latter is pivoted to the said studaccording to either of the methods shown in Figs. '5 and 6. The.bridge-piece 33 may, if desired, be provided with nose grips, one ofwhich is indicated at 37'. Oi course these nose grips are essential fornose glasses, whereas in the case of spectacles they may be used, ordispensed with, according .to the preference of the user.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages ,of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains. I With a pair of spectacles oreyeglasses constructed in the manner set forth, the bridge-piece and earbows can be readily adjusted so that the sections of the lenses desiredto be used are brought immediately within the line of vision, thuseliminating the neces-- sity of looking over the reading portions of thelenses when using the glasses in walking. 5

The invention obviates the necessity of carrying two pairs of glasses,and. it also obviates the injury to the eyes incident to the ordinarybi-focal lenses by the constant shiftingoi the line of vision betweenthe reading and distance seeing lenses, even ii: the reading lenses areinvisible, the same differences of the focii in the lenses remain. Thiscauses the retina of the eye to constantly and instantaneouslyaccommodate itself to a change of focus which is tiresome to the eye,blurring to the vision and a strain on the nervous system.- Furthermore,the present invention does away with the necessity of looking over thereading lenses in walking. This looking over the lenses to see inwalking renders the vision uncertain, causes one to hold the head downin an unnatural position which is injurious, and tends to producestooping and rounding of the shoulders, and flattening of the chest.

What is claimed is:-

1. The combination with a bridge, of lens members pivoted to turnrelatively thereto, and means for positioning the members relatively tothe bridge.

2. The combination with a bridge, of lens members pivoted to turnrelatively thereto, and devices arranged to hold the lens members inoperative positions relatively to the bridge.

3. The combination with a bridge member, ot-leusmembers pivoted to turnrelatively thereto, and spring arms each having one end secured to oneof the members and having means at its opposite'end to cooperate with jthe other member to hold the lens members in given angu- Thevariousforms of glasses hereinbefore described lar positions.

4. The combination withja bridge member, of lens members pivoted to turnrelatively thereto, and spring arms each having one end secured to oneof the members and having its opposite end provided'with a notch to comembers, ears connected with the lensmembers, each having an apertureextending at right angles to the major axes of the lens members,temples, and pivots extending through the ears for securing the templesthereto.

6. The combination with a pair of bi-focal lenses, of rims in which thelenses are fixed, a bridge-piece pivotally connected with the rims, earson the rings at points opposite to the pivotal connections 0f the bridgepiece, temples pivoted to the ears to turn on axes at right angles tothe plane of the lenses, and selfacting means for holding the bridgepiece in adjusted positions.

71 The combination with a pair of bi'-focal lens members, of 2';bridge-piece, pivotal connections between the bridge piece and the lensmembers, apertured ears connected with the members, pivots in the earsdisposed with their axes at right angles to the plane of the lenses,

temples, hinged connections between the temples and the pivots, andself-acting locking means coacting with the 10 bridge piece.

' 8. The combination with lens members, of a bridge pivoted to turnrelative thereto, and self-acting means for holding the bridge inadjusted positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I

Woonson W. WEAVER, H. H. MONTGOMERY.

